The six award winners were recognised on the European platform of the Association’s Annual Congress Gala Awards Dinner at Gloria Hotels & Resorts in Turkey, along with the official trophy presentation of the 2015 International Team Championship and International Team Shield.

The awards are an opportunity to throw a spotlight on the efforts and work of exceptional individuals and organisations that have benefitted the sport in a variety of ways such as golf development activity, individual playing performances, dedication to the industry, or expertise and passion for coaching in golf.

2015 Award Winners:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Bernhard Langer – Awarded for exceptional achievements in golf. Read More…
• 5-Star Professional Award: Paul Lawrie – Awarded to a PGA Professional who has excelled in the profession. Read More…
• Christer Lindberg Bowl: IMG (Presented to IMG’s Global Head of Golf, Guy Kinnings) – Awarded to individuals or organisations in recognition for their services to golf. Read More…
• John Jacobs Award for Teaching & Coaching: Neil Manchip – Given to a person who has excelled as a Golf Coach with any types of players be they elite or beginners. Read More…
• President’s Award for Golf Development: Robert Kalkman Foundation (presented to Robert Kalkman Foundation Founder, Robert Kalkman) – Awarded to an individual or project that has significantly contributed to the development of the game. Read More…
• Special Recognition Award: Theodore Vassilakis – Awarded to an individual that has done much to promote golf and/or the activities of the Confederation of Professional Golf. Read More…

The Annual Gala Awards followed on from the main four-day Annual Congress event that brings together a diverse range of representatives from throughout the Confederation of Professional Golf member countries, running simultaneously with the Association’s International Team Championship.

“I am so honoured and blessed to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Confederation of Professional Golf,” said Langer during his acceptance speech shown at the Annual Gala Awards Dinner at Gloria Hotels & Resorts in Turkey.  “I also want to congratulate all of the 21,000+ Professionals across the Confederation of Professional Golf’s membership for what [they] do…and I really appreciate what the Confederation of Professional Golf is doing for the game.”

“Well I must say it’s a great feeling and nice to receive the award,” said President’s Award for Golf Development winner, Robert Kalkman.  “But my special thanks go out to my team – the volunteers, the PGA Professionals, the people from the committee, and the sponsors who have made this a success now and hopefully in the same way in the future.”

For More Information On All of 2015’s Award Winners Visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress

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For more information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The 2015 Annual Congress and Gala Awards Dinner are supported by Rolex and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust and hosted by Gloria Hotels & Resorts – for more information on the event partners visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress.

Image Caption: The 2015 Confederation of Professional Golf Gala Award Winners – [L to R] Neil Manchip (John Jacobs Award for Teaching & Coaching), Theodore Vassilakis (Special Recognition Award), Bernhard Langer (Lifetime Achievement Award), Paul Lawrie (5 Star Professional Award), Robert Kalkman (Robert Kalkman Foundation – President’s Award For Golf Development), Guy Kinnings (IMG – Christer Lindberg Bowl) [Photography: Adrian Milledge]

Langer has been held in legend status for many years since being one of the ‘big five’ of European golf in the 1980s, a figurehead of the sport in his native homeland, and one of the most consistent and resilient professionals to have ever played the game.

“I am so honoured and blessed to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Confederation of Professional Golf,” said Langer during his acceptance speech shown at the Annual Gala Awards Dinner at Gloria Hotels & Resorts in Turkey.  “I also want to congratulate all of the 21,000+ Professionals across the Confederation of Professional Golf’s membership for what [they] do…and I really appreciate what the Confederation of Professional Golf is doing for the game.

Hailing from Bavaria in Germany, Langer turned professional in 1972 – eight years later he became a winner on the European Tour with the Dunlop Masters title, the first of 40 European Tour wins and 98 professional wins in total to date.  His Masters victories came in 1985 and 1993 at Augusta National and became the world’s first number one player shortly after that first major in 1986 when the Official World Golf Rankings were introduced.

More recently Langer has been a record-breaking stalwart of the Champions Tour earning five senior major championship wins since joining the tour in 2007, and earned 13 top-10 finishes in 2015 on his way to his second consecutive Charles Schwab Cup, also becoming the first player to win it three times in their career.

Whilst his individual victories were numerous he has also been a prolific team player representing Team Europe on no less than 10 occasions in the Ryder Cup, and also captained the team to a record 18½-9½ victory over the United States at Oakland Hills Country Club in 2004, receiving world-wide acclaim and an honorary OBE.

The Hall of Famer was also quick to recognise the influence that PGA Professionals have had on his extensive career:

“[PGA Professionals] have been extremely important in my life – I was very fortunate to meet Heinz Fehring at the young age of 15 – he was like a second father to me – and taught me not just golf-related stuff, but also things I needed to learn about life and character.  Then I met Willy Hoffman who has become my swing coach and golf coach over the last 40 years and helped me a great deal.  They both are still very good friends of mine.”

For more information on Bernhard Langer visit www.bernhardlanger.de.

For More Information On All of 2015’s Award Winners Visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress

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For more information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The 2015 Annual Congress and Gala Awards Dinner are supported by Rolex and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust and hosted by Gloria Hotels & Resorts – for more information on the event partners visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress.

Lawrie was nominated by the PGA in Scotland and selected by the Confederation of Professional Golf’s award selection committee based on his work and representation as a PGA Professional, his work in developing the Paul Lawrie Foundation, along with his playing successes across the years, and was acknowledged for his award at the Association’s Gala Awards Dinner at Gloria Hotels & Resorts in Turkey.

“I’d like to thank everyone at the PGA in Scotland for nominating me,” explained Lawrie, who received the award at the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland’s Annual Lunch shortly after the Annual Congress.  “I learned a tremendous amount in my early days in the PGA from Sandy Jones and Peter Lloyd on the role of not only a Club Professional but how to be a successful touring professional.”

Lawrie began his PGA training in 1986 and subsequently joined the European Tour in 1992 where he has since taken seven titles, most recently the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in 2012.  He has also had two appearances in the European Ryder Cup Team, along with perhaps his crowning glory of a major championship with his Open Championship win at Carnoustie in 1999.

But his tournament play was not the only reason he was selected by the committee – as the PGA of Scotland would attest to, Lawrie has never forgotten his roots having worked hard to develop elements of both the amateur and professional games.

Lawrie has developed a golf centre in his name, supported the Ladies Tartan Tour in Scotland, but perhaps most significantly created the Paul Lawrie Foundation in 2001.  His foundation aims to get as many young people playing golf and enjoying it, with aspirations to create the touring professionals of the future. The Foundation has steadily grown over time developing a number of programmes, and has been supported by the Ryder Cup European Development Trust along the way.

“I’d also like to thank the Ryder Cup European Development Trust for being a massive part of our Foundation, which has been on the go since 2001 and teaches kids not only about golf, but about how to behave, speak and how to play; it’s all extremely important.”

The Foundation also supports a number of Professionals in the UK playing on tours such as the Ladies European Tour, Challenge Tour, and Euro Pro Tour, and Lawrie himself has continued to support the Ladies Tartan Tour and various PGA in Scotland events, in particular the Paul Lawrie Invitational played since 2011 giving young Professionals, top amateurs and seasoned campaigners a quality tournament with a significant prize fund.

“Through all of these contributions to the game of golf, Paul has proven himself to be a role model for golfers of all ages and both genders,” stated the PGA in Scotland as part of their nomination.   “We are proud to support his nomination for the Confederation of Professional Golf 5-Star Professional Award and wish him and his Foundation continued success in the future as well.”

For more information on the Paul Lawrie Foundation visit www.paullawriefoundation.co.uk.

For More Information On All of 2015’s Award Winners Visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress

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For more information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The 2015 Annual Congress and Gala Awards Dinner are supported by Rolex and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust and hosted by Gloria Hotels & Resorts – for more information on the event partners visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress.

The IMG business has its beginnings firmly set in golf having begun with a handshake between founder, Mark McCormack, and golfing legend, Arnold Palmer, when McCormack took on the management and marketing of Palmer in 1960, laying the groundwork for sports marketing as we know it today.

“We’re hugely appreciative – it’s very clearly for the organisation and I am deeply honoured to be the one who’s lucky enough to be here, but it is genuinely for all the people who work within golf,” said IMG’s Global Head of Golf, Guy Kinnings, who collected the award at the Association’s Annual Gala Awards Dinner supported by Rolex at Gloria Hotels & Resorts in Turkey.

“Everything we do is built around largely the professional game; we’ve managed the players and done that for many years and we’ve now moved into event staging…For us none of that would be happening if it wasn’t for PGA Professionals – the relationship between the players and the pros that teach them and bring them to the game is essential and similarly for us we’re about growing the game.”

IMG’s golfing history rapidly evolved after Mark McCormack’s realisation of the commercial potential of sport.  His promotion of the ‘big three’ of Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus was the catalyst for its evolution into the world’s premier sports and lifestyle marketing and management company – with a portfolio of hundreds of sports figures, models, entertainers, celebrities, television properties, artists, musicians, writers, prestigious organisations and world-wide events.

IMG Golf has grown to become a ‘gateway into the golf lifestyle’ working with top players, securing top licensing deals and endorsements, designing courses and managing/owning over 30 of the world’s leading golf events.

The work IMG has done across those various areas of the sport has helped to develop it to a commercial level that many will have thought impossible.  As an organisation, IMG has become a hugely successful global leader that now services many sports and other industries.  But in its success, it has also helped golf to expand to the far corners of the world and generate interest and revenue that has helped the sport grow making the industry stronger for all.

“The company itself has completely changed and we’ve got an astonishingly dynamic management and they are taking the company into different areas that we never imagined,” added Kinnings.  “We’re proud to work with the players and the tournaments that we do, but we now try and be involved in almost every aspect of the sport, whether that’s working with Federations, brands that support the game, academies, junior programmes. Hopefully the game will be in pretty good health in the years to come and that’s certainly something we want to see.”

For more information on IMG visit www.imggolf.com.

For More Information On All of 2015’s Award Winners Visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress

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For more information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The 2015 Annual Congress and Gala Awards Dinner are supported by Rolex and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust and hosted by Gloria Hotels & Resorts – for more information on the event partners visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress.

The Robert Kalkman Foundation supports children with cancer and/or a physical limitation and encourages them to find a new passion in life by playing golf.  Through a series of clinics run across the country each year, both outdoors at golf courses and indoors on simulators, the children are given unforgettable golfing experiences by a team of PGA Professionals and volunteers.

The Foundation was formed by PGA of Holland Professional, Robert Kalkman, himself a cancer survivor, who used golf as part of his rehabilitation giving him a new sporting challenge after his illness left him unable to continue his first passion as a Dutch international footballer.  Kalkman collected the award from Confederation of Professional Golf Honorary President, Pierre Bechmann, on behalf of his Foundation at the Association’s Annual Gala Awards Dinner at Gloria Hotels & Resorts.

After a Q&A with PGA of Holland Chief Executive and friend, Frank Kirsten, along with a video showing the Foundation in action, it was clear to see what an inspiration Kalkman is as an individual and how his Foundation has enhanced so many people’s lives; and he subsequently received a standing ovation from the dinner’s guests.

“Well I must say it’s a great feeling and nice to receive the award but my special thanks go out to my team – the volunteers, the PGA Professionals, the people from the committee, and the sponsors who have made this a success now and hopefully in the same way in the future.

“I also want to thank the Confederation of Professional Golf and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust for supporting us in the beginning – we started in 2009 and the backup we had in support from the Trust was very important in getting to where we are and continuing.”

Each of the Foundation’s clinics has the goal of giving the children a totally unforgettable day with children transported to and from hospital in order to attend where necessary.  A typical day includes learning about putting, chipping, bunker shots and practice on the driving range, with the chance to play a few holes on the course. Feedback from those who take part is very positive, which in turn helps the children to stay positive despite their illnesses.

 But Kalkman doesn’t plan to stop the momentum he is gaining:

“The next step will be to continue the clinics that we do now, keeping the quality and continuity, and from there on the next step will be the ‘golf bungalow’ for the children and their parents where with 12 persons they can stay there for three or four days.  We will have our own tournaments with the children a few times a year and give clinics…they can walk along the beach and breathe the air, do what they want, and have fun.”

For more information on the Robert Kalkman Foundation visit www.robertkalkmanfoundation.com.

For More Information On All of 2015’s Award Winners Visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress

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For more information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The 2015 Annual Congress and Gala Awards Dinner are supported by Rolex and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust and hosted by Gloria Hotels & Resorts – for more information on the event partners visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress.

The John Jacobs Award is given to a PGA Professional that has excelled in the field of coaching be it with any type of player, elite or beginner, and since 2011 it has been awarded to coaches such as Rory McIlroy’s coach, Michael Bannon, and Spain’s Salvador Luna in 2014.

Manchip’s nomination came from the PGA in Ireland where he has been a prominent member and influential coach in the careers of many of Ireland’s top amateur and professional players, notably the European Tour’s Shane Lowry.

“I’m really fortunate to be in their [the players] company,” said Manchip during a Q&A with Confederation of Professional Golf Education Committee Chairman, Jonathan Mannie (pictured below, right), at the Annual Gala Awards Dinner at Gloria Hotels & Resorts in Turkey where he received his accolade.  “They’re excellent golfers – I’m national coach and help them out with their programmes, help them with their golf and give them some guidance in all areas, and it’s just great to be in there to see them develop and thrive.

“I feel really excited to win an award in the name of John Jacobs…it’s just brilliant having grown up with him as such an idol as a golf teacher – I’m just so excited to be here and win the award.”

Manchip started his PGA training in 1992 at the world-famous Royal County Down Golf Club and subsequently became the Head Professional of Royal Dublin, before taking the position of National Coach with the Golfing Union of Ireland.

During his time there he has been involved in the development of all senior and boys amateur teams in Ireland, many of which have had international success along the way.  Amongst those players have been five members of the recently victorious 2015 Walker Cup Team, including Paul Dunne who also faired well at this year’s Open Championship, as well as the aforementioned Shane Lowry.

Since 2005 Manchip and Lowry have worked together forming a successful partnership that has led Lowry to multiple wins, such as the Irish Open, the Portugal Masters and, most recently, the WGC Bridgestone Invitational earlier in 2015.

“My main job with Shane Lowry is to help him realise his potential,” explained Manchip.  “It is not a matter of being an instructor, but much more of being a listener. I help him to be aware of himself, and what he is doing without being judgmental…The National Coaching role can be somewhat different, in that I am dealing with squads of 12 players in several age groups. We have a wonderful volunteer network who help with logistics, selection and planning.  We also have other provincial coaches, along with Professionals who help with strength and conditioning, club-fitting, nutrition and physiotherapy.”

For more information on Neil Manchip and the Golfing Union of Ireland visit www.golfnet.ie.

For More Information On All of 2015’s Award Winners Visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress

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For more information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The 2015 Annual Congress and Gala Awards Dinner are supported by Rolex and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust and hosted by Gloria Hotels & Resorts – for more information on the event partners visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress.

The award is given each year to an individual that has done much to promote golf and the activities of the Confederation of Professional Golf, and the head of the company voted best regional airline in 2015 is a thoroughly deserving winner.

“I feel very proud and I am very thankful to the Confederation of Professional Golf,” said Vassilakis.  “…Because after so many years they have recognised our contribution both as a person…and with the contribution of my companies.”

Vassilakis’ involvement in golf stems from his great love for the game and his introduction of the Aegean Airlines Pro-Am in 2006, along with his friendship with the late ‘Captain’ Vassilis Constantakopoulos who built the Costa Navarino resort in the Messinia region of Greece.

Golf has been a growing sport in Greece and the introduction of the Confederation of Professional Golf-sanctioned Aegean Airlines Pro-Am was a huge step in bringing both amateur and professional golfers to the region to experience what the country has to offer.

Aegean Airlines has always been a strong supporter of the golf tourism market, with a dynamic role in the strategic development of Greek tourism in general.  The Pro-Am has acted as a verification of Vassilakis and the company’s commitment to increasing the levels of tourism in the country by both aiding the logistics of getting people to the country and its courses, promoting the event and the game in general, supporting the national PGA and Federation, as well as helping in the development of the facilities available to golfers throughout the whole region.

In 2015 the Pro-Am reached its 10th anniversary and is now consistently sold-out in a matter of weeks; a key indicator that Vassilakis’ passion for golf and the event has helped the sport to grow in the country and will continue to do so in the future.

“For the event to have reached such a milestone is a huge feat,” said Confederation of Professional Golf Chief Executive Ian Randell, during the 10th anniversary of the Pro-Am earlier in 2015.  “It is a product of a vast amount of effort from Mr Vassilakis and his Aegean Airlines team and their dedication to the sport has proven itself across the past decade.”

Vassilakis and his team certainly do not plan to rest on their laurels when it comes to growing the sport.  Building on the legacy of the aforementioned Vassilis Constantakopoulos, and now working with his son, Achilleas Constantakopoulos, there are big plans ahead:

“For us golf is a new thing in Greece but along with my friend, Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, we have started ‘scouting’ for golf in Greece,” added Vassilakis.

“We are now in the stages of being proud of what we have done and we won’t stop there.  We are going to make another effort in making an excellent country club next to Athens.  We have finished the master plans and are at the end of acquiring the land that we want, so we are looking at the future with optimism.”

For more information on Aegean Airlines visit www.aegeanair.com.

For More Information On All of 2015’s Award Winners Visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress

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For more information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The 2015 Annual Congress and Gala Awards Dinner are supported by Rolex and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust and hosted by Gloria Hotels & Resorts – for more information on the event partners visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress.

The Annual Congress is the chance for PGA representatives, along with leaders from Federations and other significant golfing bodies from across the continent, to meet and discuss the state of play within their respective territories, as well as learn and share ideas with each other alongside fantastic speakers from not only the world of golf but wider industries as well.

This year the Gloria Serenity Hotel at Gloria Hotels & Resorts in Turkey’s Belek region played host to the event giving delegates a taste of luxury during their stay that included four days of presentations, workshops and networking interspersed with golf at Gloria Golf Club’s New Course.

The Congress week got off on the right foot with in-depth one-to-one sessions with many of the Member PGAs’ representatives looking at elements of their associations such as education, membership and communications.

The second day then began the group sessions with working groups looking at how success and good practice can be shared amongst the members, followed closely by a great example of how collaboration between different amateur and professional bodies in a country can be so beneficial with insights from Director of Golf and Business Development at the Confederation of Golf in Ireland, John Roche.  The PGA of Sweden then also shared their work and efforts in the area of using the PGA Professional as a resource for golf in their country.

Day three started with a look at the International Golf Coaching Framework (IGCF) developed by the PGA World Alliance with PGA Executive Director – Education, Global Development for the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland, Dr. Kyle Phillpots.

A hands-on session then followed with Alan McColm from MBR Solutions who looked at helping develop practical leadership skills to help build a sustainable business and operation, giving delegates the chance to develop tangible actions to take back to their teams in their native countries.

The final day consisted of updates on the PGA Junior League, the Association’s recognition of professional standards with Chairman of the Education Committee, Jonathan Mannie, and Director of Education & Membership, Tony Bennett, as well as a look at the upcoming inclusion of golf at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil with IGF Executive Director, Antony Scanlon.

The Congress sessions closed with anniversary-focused sessions – the first of which took a look back at the first 25 years of the Association with key individuals from across its history: Current Chairman, Sandy Jones, former Secretary, Lawrie Thornton, past Honorary President, Donato di Ponziano, and former Education Committee Chairman, Leif Ohlsson.

Closing out the final section was a look at where the Association is currently, and most importantly what might lie in store for the Confederation of Professional Golf and its members in the future.  Chief Executive, Ian Randell, and Communications Manager, Aston Ward, explored how the Association operates in 2015 and then how this could change over the next 10, 15, and 25 years as the world and its inhabitants change rapidly, and how national PGAs should be aware and ready to act in response to, and ahead of, these changes.

As is tradition the Congress closed with the coming together of delegates and the ITC competitors at the Annual Gala Awards Dinner supported by Rolex where awards were handed to six highly deserving winners including Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Bernhard Langer, and 5 Star Professional Award winner, Paul Lawrie.

For More Information On the 2015 Annual Congress Visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress

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For more information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The 2015 Annual Congress and Gala Awards Dinner are supported by Rolex and the Ryder Cup European Development Trust and hosted by Gloria Hotels & Resorts – for more information on the event partners visit http://eur.pe/2015AnnualCongress.

Anyone working in any job will have been a part of this process at some point – whether you are the person searching for candidates, or one of the candidates making yourself as attractive as possible.

In this month’s issue of IGPN we try to balance careers knowledge and assistance not only for people on the hunt for their perfect job, but for those on the hunt for the perfect person as well.

PGA Professionals will all at some time in their career be on both sides – trying to find the right position for themselves to advance their career forward, whilst also looking to create teams that they can work with to be as effective as possible.  But you don’t necessarily have to wait until you’re the boss to get benefit from learning about the hiring process.

Inside this issue you’ll find out how to perform well in interviews with various techniques including controlling body language, how to invest in your career, and how to organise your job search.  But you’ll also find out how to make sure a potential hire fits in to your business’ culture and how to work out what factors matter most to you when hiring a new team member.

All of these things can be useful on both sides – as someone looking for a job, how useful would it be to have an insight into what someone might be looking for?  And as an employer, would it be useful to know what the body language of candidates is saying to you?  With any potential position it’s important to ensure both parties look at it from both sides to get the most out of it and ensure the right person gets hired for the right job.

I’ve learnt that in the golf industry where quite often we’re selling people (it’s the same for coaching in many ways), that recruiting the right people who are going to fit in means not only will the business thrive but they will be happier and a darn sight easier to manage thus freeing up your time for other things.

I have also spoken before in about attitude over experience – ideally you would have both but I would always lean towards attitude if the context is right. It is far more difficult to try and shape the wrong person than get the right person in the first place.  Tools such as in-interview tasks where candidates perform a real-world task actually in the environment they might work in, or psychometric testing are things I have found useful in identifying the right people.

With PGA Professionals continuously rising to the top of businesses the importance of knowing how to hire and how to get hired has never been more important.  Hopefully this month’s IGPN will go some way at least to helping you achieve the most you can in your career and ensure the team around you is the most effective for the job and everyone’s well-being.

This article originally featured in International Golf Pro News. Visit the IGPN Page to find out more and subscribe for free.

Peter Millar’s collection will feature both the Ryder Cup Shield and the Trophy logo across its garments, the Trophy logo only being offered to Licensees for use as part of premium Ryder Cup collections. Peter Millar’s exclusive offerings for its customers will feature luxurious knit shirts and sweaters, as well as performance polos, layering garments and outerwear from the Crown Sport collection. The renewed license agreement will allow Peter Millar to showcase both its regular fit garments, as well as the new “Tailored Fit” collection more suited to the European market.

“We’re thrilled to extend this agreement with Ryder Cup Europe for the next two Ryder Cup matches, as The Ryder Cup is one of the biggest events in sport.” said Mark Hilton, European Golf Sales Director at Peter Millar UK Ltd. “This agreement shows how highly the Peter Millar brand is now regarded in Europe and is in addition to our ongoing partnership with The Confederation of Professional Golf. We’re sure that customers from across the globe will continue to enjoy Peter Millar products featuring the Ryder Cup logos.”

Director of Ryder Cup Europe, Richard Hills, said: “Ryder Cup Europe is delighted to have renewed its Official Licensee relationship with Peter Millar, following on from its successes in both the 2012 and the 2014 editions. Peter Millar was a valued part of our Licensee programme, and their garments also proved very popular with Ryder Cup fans at The 2014 Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland.”

Peter Millar Ryder Cup apparel can be found at euroshop.rydercup.com as well as in store at Le Golf National, Paris. As the 2018 event draws nearer, Peter Millar Ryder Cup apparel will additionally be available at other selected golf clubs and retailers across Europe, as the matches return to mainland Europe for the first time since 1997.

Click Here to Visit the Peter Millar Corporate Partner Hub Page

@BizzWriter

Marketing and public relations are vital to growing a business and to sustaining its profitability over the long term. Without either, your firm can quickly disappear from the public consciousness, and your sales and profits can plummet.

Not everyone can afford to hire a PR firm, but that doesn’t mean you can’t develop relationships with important influencers, generate more awareness about your company, and stand out from the crowd. The truth is that you can–and in very cost-effective fashion.

I recently asked Amanda Van Nuys–vice president at the Bateman Group, an agency that integrates PR, social media, content marketing, and analytics–for her advice on how anyone can do PR like a pro. Here’s what she told me.

1. Identify what makes your story remarkable

Interesting stories will always be the currency of effective public relations programs. The trick is figuring out what about your company will most likely appeal to journalistic instincts: Do you have an unusual founding story? Do you have a truly innovative, externally validated product? How do you fit into the larger market landscape, and what makes you different from everyone else?

2. Define a brand voice

Before you start your PR and social media engines, consider the tone and voice of your brand. Think of your brand as if it’s a person. Is it irreverent? Thoughtful? Funny? Friendly? Formal? Decide on a voice and stick to it so your customers and fans know what to expect when they engage with you. By clearly articulating a brand voice, people get a sense of what your company stands for–beyond your products or services–and can develop an authentic connection with you.

3. Ask your customers to the party

It’s one thing to say that your company has created value for customers, but it’s quite another thing when your customer says it. Make sure to mention the possibility of future PR opportunities early on in the relationship (even bake it into your contract), and then do everything you can to make and keep a customer happy. Once a customer is willing to talk to the media and value has been realized–especially when the return on investment can be quantified–then you have a great story hook that reporters love.

4. Make data your best friend

Reporters and influencers love data, particularly if it makes a counterintuitive or surprising point. If you have the opportunity to do a survey or glean data in other ways, then use it to your advantage, as Bateman Group recently did for client Animoto. You can use stats to validate a market shift, emerging trend, or changing buyer sentiment. Once you have data, repackage it into an infographic or other visual content, which generally gets high social shares.

5. Focus on reporters that matter

It’s often said that if you can influence the top 10 voices in a given market, they’ll influence everyone else. Identify the reporters or bloggers who will make a difference for your business. Follow them on Twitter, read the articles they write and share, and understand what they consider newsworthy. Reach out in a targeted, personalized way to start a meaningful conversation.

6. Be social for an hour each day

If you’re going to engage with customers, prospects, and reporters on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media, then dedicate at least an hour in your day for social time. Post timely and thoughtful content, acknowledge comments, and be responsive to questions. Start conversations with your content and social posts rather than just broadcasting your opinions.

7. Follow and DM reporters on Twitter

We’re all bombarded with emails, and who has the time to check voice mail anymore? Sometimes the most effective way to reach a reporter is to direct message (DM) him or her on Twitter. Many reporters have their eyes on Twitter all day long looking for breaking news. If they’re active on Twitter, engage them there.

8. Make LinkedIn your new publishing platform

LinkedIn is becoming the place for executives and thought leaders to post their professional content. If you post something on your blog or write a contributed article, then repost the same content on your personal profile and your company’s LinkedIn profile. Write a catchy headline and use a friendly tone, focusing on helpful, relevant content–practical tips and tricks work particularly well. This is a great way to build credibility with customers, prospects, and reporters.

9. Ask employees to help spread the word

Consider every employee at your company an ambassador for your brand. Set some basic professional ground rules, and then encourage your team to spread the word about an article featuring your company, or a LinkedIn post that you’ve published. Beyond creating internal enthusiasm, it’s an easy way to amplify your PR success and help reel in new business or top talent.

This article originally appeared on Inc.com – to view the original article visit http://eur.pe/1B1XNq6.

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The Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, only 17km from the centre of Rome, will follow in the footsteps of Club de Golf Valderrama in Spain (1997) and Le Golf National in France (2018) – when the 44th edition of the match between Europe and the United States is staged in the autumn of 2022.

Four nations – Austria, Germany, Italy and Spain – had participated in an exhaustive and comprehensive Bid Process to identify the country best qualified to follow Hazeltine National in Minnesota next year; France in 2018 and Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in 2020, as host of the biennial contest. Initially the number had been seven when the process began in June last year, but Denmark, Portugal and Turkey withdrew their interest in the early stages.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of The European Tour – the Managing Partner of Ryder Cup Europe – led a five-strong Bid Evaluation Committee comprising Europe’s Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills, Ryder Cup Match Director Edward Kitson, The European Tour’s Director of Property and Venue Development David MacLaren and European Tour Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Orr, who thoroughly examined and evaluated all four Bids, including undertaking a series of site inspections.

The objective of the process was to enable Ryder Cup Europe to arrive at the correct sporting and commercial decision in terms of the host for 2022.

To that end, the Bid Evaluation Committee judged the candidates on five specific criteria: (i) Demonstrable Government, Political, Institutional and Golfing Community support; (ii) Commitment to the development of a world-class golf facility (new or existing) to host The 2022 Ryder Cup; (iii) Provision of ancillary facilities, suitable access and infrastructure commensurate with the staging of an international sporting event, including proximity to a major international city; (iv) Commercial opportunities available to The Ryder Cup; and (v) Contribution of the Bid Country to the development of golf in terms of Legacy, Contribution to the professional game, Integration of golf within tourism and business communities, Development of levels of golf participation, Professional tournament golf at all levels, and contribution to The Ryder Cup: eg Player eligibility and participation.

The Bid Committee was assisted in their evaluation procedure by three prominent external advisers in Michael Payne, Nick Bitel and Paul Bush, who brought considerable experience from their specialist sporting backgrounds, namely the Olympic Movement, the London Marathon and The Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014.

The Italian bid was consistently strong across all the areas evaluated and in particular in their pledge to undertake a complete reconstruction of the golf course at Marco Simone to the highest standards demanded by Ryder Cup Europe, in addition to a hugely significant commitment to the Italian Open in terms of guaranteeing a €7 million prize fund for the championship for 11 years, beginning in 2017. In 2016, the prize fund will double from its current figure of €1.5 million to a minimum of €3 million.

Keith Pelley said: “I would like to offer my congratulations to Italy whose bold and ambitious bid has seen them become the host nation for The 2022 Ryder Cup. History has shown time and again that The Ryder Cup is pure theatre with the players the stars, and there is no question that the Eternal City of Rome will provide a wonderful backdrop for one of the great occasions in world golf.

“With Paris in 2018 and now Rome in 2022 being the respective host cities for Europe’s next two stagings of biennial contest against the United States, the magical appeal of The Ryder Cup is set to continue.

“In addition, we have exciting plans for the development of The European Tour and our International Schedule for the benefit of all our players, and Italy shares this ambition. Their commitment to the Italian Open will provide an inspiring benchmark.”

Richard Hills said: “The Italian bid was consistently strong and impressive across the board in terms of infrastructure, commercial structure and Government support. It was a worthy gold medalist in this particular contest, although there were three impressive silver medalists too in Austria, Germany and Spain, who conducted themselves in a professional manner throughout the process.

“The plans outlined for the golf course at Marco Simone are spectacular alongside the commitment to develop all levels of golf in Italy, and we look forward very much to working with the Italian 2022 Ryder Cup team over the coming years.”

The awarding of The 2022 Ryder Cup will continue Italy’s legacy in the contest which began when Costantino Rocca became the first Italian golfer to play in the match at The Belfry in England in 1993. The United States won on that occasion but Rocca tasted victory on his next two outings – at Oak Hill Country Club in 1995 and at Valderrama in 1997 where he famously beat Tiger Woods 4 and 2 in the final day singles.

Since then, brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari have carried the Italian flag into the biennial contest, appearing together in Europe’s narrow victory at The Celtic Manor Resort in 2010 while Francesco was part of the triumphant European team two years later, his half point in the final singles match, again against Tiger Woods, putting the seal on the remarkable Miracle of Medinah.

Since the inception of The European Tour in 1972, Italy has hosted 54 European Tour tournaments with nine Italian players having lifted a total of 20 European Tour titles between them, the most successful being Rocca with five. In addition Italy has played host to 82 European Challenge Tour events and eight tournaments on the European Senior Tour.

Following today’s announcement, there will be an official press conference to celebrate the awarding of The 2022 Ryder Cup, in Italy on Wednesday December 16.

For more information on the Ryder Cup visit www.rydercup.com

Level on 18-under-par after four rounds of the Old Course at Gloria Golf Club in the Turkish resort of Belek, a play-off was needed to determine whether Scotland would retain the trophy or France win it for the second time in four years.

However, had Gareth Wright’s putt from just off the green at the 18th dropped instead of flirting with the pin and scuttling a foot past the hole, the sudden death showdown would have been unnecessary.

Wright, in understandable frustration, sent his putter looping skywards before interrupting its descent.

Worse was to follow at the play-off hole, the par five first, after team captain David Orr had entrusted Scotland’s fortunes to him.

Having recovered from a wayward tee shot to reach the green in three and give himself a chance of halving the hole with a par, another putt refused to drop and the €6,000 first prize belonged to France.

In fairness, Raphael Eyraud’s approach that set up his par after clearing trees and a lake on its 200-plus yards journey to the back of the green was worthy of winning any tournament.

“It was the shot of the day,” said Arnaud Verhaege, his admiring and grateful team-mate.

Earlier Eyraud had produced the best round of the day, a five-under par 67, and team captain Michael Altmeyer added: “He played very well but I picked him for the play-off because he is the longest of any of us. I’m not long off the tee, neither is Arnaud.

“He didn’t let us down and it’s great to win the tournament again, especially as none of us have played in it before.”

Wright was also chosen for the play-off because he was Scotland’s longest off the tee and Orr explained: “Had the play-off hole been the short 18th I would have gone for Graham Fox because he’s a very strong iron player. But the long first hole was more suited to Gareth’s game.”

Wright, refusing the condolences of his team-mates, cut a lonely figure as he trudged disconsolately back along the first fairway reflecting on what might have been.

Fox, however, had a measure of consolation in finishing the tournament as its leading individual for the second year running. This time he completed his four rounds in 14-under, one ahead of Sion Bebb of third-placed Wales and two clear of Ireland’s Eamonn Brady.

Meanwhile the Turkish team of siblings Bulent and Savas Karatas and Ramazam Duman (pictured above) completed a wire to wire victory in the first ever International Team Shield. The sub-tournament looked to ensure the small and emerging Member PGAs (signified by a membership size of 100 PGA Professionals or less) of the Association can compete alongside the larger PGAs in the ITC, whilst also enjoying their own competition and prize fund.

Consistent rounds across the week by the locals enabled them to edge ahead of the six other eligible countries, especially after two solid lower combined rounds on days one and two. A final total of 597 (+21) was enough to take the share of €1500, just ahead of the PGA of Poland in second place.

Final Scores:

France*, Scotland (-18); Wales (-16); Ireland (-15); England (-10); Italy (L); Denmark (+2); Belgium (+3). *France win after sudden death play-off

For full Final Round scores and more visit http://eur.pe/2015ITC

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015ITC), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#ITC’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Visit the Tournament Hub Page – http://eur.pe/2015ITC

IMAGE: Adrian Milledge

In doing so, they set up a final round showdown with Scotland over the Old Course at Gloria Golf Club in the Turkish resort of Belek.

Sporting patriotic red, white and blue attire bought from the club shop, the French posted their best round of the tournament to share the lead with the defending champions on 12-under.

It also returned them to pole position, the berth they occupied on day one after their previous best of five-under put them a stroke clear of the 23 team-strong field pursuing the €6,000 first prize.

Then, Michael Altmeyer had been their star performer with a round of six-under. This time Raphael Eyraud and Arnaud Verhaege, followed suit.

The former posted four-under while the latter weighed in with three-under for what was his first contributing score of the tournament.

“I was one-over and four-over in the first and second rounds, so it’s good to contribute this time,” he said.  “It was a good round for us today – let’s hope we can do the same tomorrow and have the French flag flying over the clubhouse.”

Explaining his team’s choice of clothing, Verhaege added: “The ones we were meant to wear didn’t arrive so we bought replacements from the club shop – the choice of colours was deliberate.”

Verhaege’s three-under was matched by Gareth Wright of Scotland and with Graham Fox, the scourge of both the Old and New Courses, having a relatively quiet day with a round of one-under, the French erased a three-stroke deficit.

That is the advantage the joint leaders have over Ireland but, with the best two scores from three counting, it is a slender one. Similarly, Wales on eight-under, and England, a stroke further back, are very much in the mix.

Wales were indebted to Sion Bebb who posted his second successive five-under-par round of 67, a score that puts him level with Italy’s Luca Beneduce on nine-under individually for the tournament, one behind Fox.

Meanwhile, the conclusion of the International Team Shield, the competition for teams representing a PGA with 100 members or fewer, looks set to be as competitive as the main tournament.

Host nation Turkey have led the tournament within a tournament from day one but their advantage over Poland going into the final round is just four strokes.

Leading Scores:

France, Scotland (-12); Ireland (-9); Wales (-8); England (-7); Italy (-2), Belgium, Denmark (+2).

For full Round 02 scores and more visit http://eur.pe/2015ITC

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015ITC), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#ITC’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Visit the Tournament Hub Page – http://eur.pe/2015ITC

IMAGE: Adrian Milledge

SPG members can now convert their Starpoints into Aegean Miles+Bonus award miles. In addition, SPG members will be given an extra 5,000 miles for every 20,000 Starpoints converted to Aegean Miles+Bonus award miles.

“We are very pleased to announce to our members our partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, that will offer new rewards through our loyalty programs, Aegean Miles+Bonus and Starwood Preferred Guest. This partnership will provide additional benefits to our shared customers and enhance the value of both programs,” said Dimitris Gerogiannis, Chief Executive Officer of AEGEAN.

With 11 properties in Greece under The Luxury Collection, Westin and Sheraton brands, Starwood Hotels & Resorts has the largest presence in the market for an international hotel group. AEGEAN is Starwood’s first partner airline in Greece. AEGEAN, a Star Alliance member, is the largest Greek airline, expected to expand to 149 destinations in 45 countries in 2016.

“Our new partnership with Aegean will allow us to reward our loyal SPG members and cultivate even greater loyalty with travellers,” said Robert Koren, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Vice President, Regional Director Southern Europe. “Greece, Germany, the US and the UK are key markets for us and we look forward to introducing Aegean’s Miles+Bonus members to our world-renowned Starwood Preferred Guest program.”

In order to earn award miles when staying at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Aegean Miles+Bonus member must join the SPG loyalty program by registering online at spg.com.

Having negotiated three rounds of the New Course in last year’s Confederation of Professional Golf International Team Championship at the Turkish resort of Belek in 16-under-par, the Scot is being similarly uncharitable to its sister course.

At the halfway stage of the latest pursuit for the €6,000 first prize on offer in the tournament hosted by Gloria Hotels and Resorts, Fox is already on nine-under-par and Scotland, on eight-under, are on course to retain the trophy.

But whereas Scotland turned last year’s event into a procession and ended the tournament 10 shots clear of Ireland, the current battle contested by 23 three-man teams looks set to be much closer.

Once again Ireland, one shot adrift of the defending champions, are in contention. Similarly, England and France, on six and five-under respectively, are in the mix.

And as Fox would agree, the format in which the best two scores from three count means fortunes and the lead can change hands with amazing speed.

“We’re halfway there but things can change very quickly in tournaments like this,” he said.

By contrast, Fox’s game shows no signs of malfunctioning at a venue he clearly enjoys playing: “…the course suits my game. It’s tight and even if you drive the ball well you can still be blocked out. It definitely rewards the good shots.

“The Old Course is much tougher than the New one but, as was the case last year, it’s in brilliant condition.”

Somewhat predictably Fox’s latest outing in the tournament proved the best of the day but Sion Bebb of Wales ran him close with a round of five-under (67).

That was instrumental in Wales tying with Italy in fifth place on three-under while Eamonn Brady and Michael Watson were similarly influential for Ireland and England respectively.

Both posted rounds of four-under, the total Watson was on after as many holes after recording four successive birdies.

“It was an amazing start,” he recalled. “I hit a bunker shot 216 yards and the ball landed a foot from the hole; then I chipped in at the next.”

The birdies dried up thereafter but Watson and Raphael Eyraud of France maintained a sizzling pace. Playing in a two-ball the pair completed their rounds in a shade longer than three hours.

Meanwhile, Turkey remain on course to be the inaugural winners of the International Shield, the competition for teams representing a PGA with 100 members or fewer.

They occupy eighth position at the halfway stage on two-over, six strokes clear of Poland.

Leading Scores:

Scotland (-8); Ireland (-7); England (-6); France (-5); Italy, Wales (-3) Belgium (-2).

For full Round 02 scores and more visit http://eur.pe/2015ITC

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015ITC), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#ITC’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Visit the Tournament Hub Page – http://eur.pe/2015ITC

IMAGE: Adrian Milledge

With each team comprising three members and the best two scores counting, Altmeyer’s six-under-par round of 66 proved crucial in the trio’s attempt to repeat their success of 2011.

However, standing at five-under after the first of four negotiations of the Old Course at Gloria Golf Club in the Turkish resort of Belek, their lead is a narrow one.

Just one stroke separates them from Belgium and Ireland who share second place. What’s more, with five strokes spanning the leading seven teams in the 23-strong field pursuing the €6,000 first prize, there is a shortage of wiggle room for the early pacemakers.

The chasing pack in the tournament hosted by Gloria Hotels and Resorts includes the defending champions, Scotland, and Holland, winners in 2013.

By contrast, Belgium, inspired by Nicolas Vanhootegem’s five under-par round of 67, have yet to win the event; likewise Italy who lie fourth courtesy of Luce Beneduce posting four-under.

Ireland, meanwhile, were the only team to feature two players posting sub par rounds: Eamonn Brady and Brendan McGovern returning scores of three and one-under respectively.

Graham Fox also posted three-under as the Scots finished equal with the Netherlands, one adrift of England and three clear of Turkey, the early contenders to be the first winners of the International Team Shield.

That will be awarded to the team representing a PGA with 100 members or fewer and with siblings Savas and Bulant Karatas weighing in with rounds of one and two over respectively, Turkey have a three stroke advantage on Iceland and Poland.

Leading Scores:

Teams: PGA of France (-5); PGA of Belgium, PGA in Ireland (-4); PGA of Italy (-2); PGA in England (-1); PGA in Scotland, PGA of Holland (E).

Individuals: Altmeyer (PGA of France) -6; Vanhootegem (PGA of Belgium) -5; Beneduce (PGA of Italy) -4; Fox (PGA in Scotland), Brady (PGA in Ireland) -3; Engdahl (PGA of Greece) -2; Miller (PGA of Holland), Hendriksen (PGA in England), McGovern (PGA in Ireland) -1.

For full Round 01 scores and more visit http://eur.pe/2015ITC

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015ITC), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#ITC’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Visit the Tournament Hub Page – http://eur.pe/2015ITC

IMAGE: Adrian Milledge

“It feels great to win – I was a late entry to the tournament really but obviously I know the venue,” explained Howell.  “It was lovely to see a lot of friendly faces as soon as I got here with some of the other Professionals I’ve known for many a year, and it’s been a great week.”

Competing in his first Beko Classic Pro-Am, Howell began the day as he meant to go on with a birdie on his first hole, the par-four tenth, and followed it up with another two birdies before the turn to get to nine-under for the tournament.

A further two birdies on his 13th and 16th holes enabled him to close at -11 (205) for the week; a whole five shots clear of second place.

“It was mistake-free really; no bogeys today and perfect weather conditions…this time of year there’s not too much rough on the course so if you do the right things you feel like you can knock it round without making any bogeys and I did that – and a couple of birdies dropped as well so it was very pleasing.

“This was my 31st tournament of the year…so to come and get the victory has been absolutely fantastic but now I will pretty much hang the boots up for two or three weeks…and build up into next year.  I start the season just about inside the top-100 in the world and my goal will be to try and finish just inside the top-50 in the world.”

Tied for second place were overnight leader, Pontus Widegren, and England’s Jamie Elson, each finishing six-under par (210) for the tournament.

Widegren’s front nine was sadly not in keeping with the rest of his tournament’s quality and a smattering of bogeys and birdies moved him away from the top through nine holes.  A more stable back nine from the Swede followed with a solitary birdie to bring him back to level par (72) for the day.

Meanwhile Elson had begun his week with two solid 71s, so needed to go low in Round 03 to make a substantial move.  Two birdies and a bogey on the front nine, followed up by three birdies coming in, teed up a four-under 68, earning a share of second along the way.

The Team Pro-Am competition saw teams of three amateur players rotate with different Professionals for each round.  It was team ‘Beko South Africa’ – Robert Hissom, Ahmed Tayeb, and Ian Todd – that managed to make the most of their pairings taking the 2015 team title with 254 points (-38).

In second place was Beko UK – Nuri Conker, Johnathan Copp, and Richard Moore – with 248 points (-32), followed closely by Team Opet – Hasan Ceylan, Sabri Yigit, and Fikret Unlu – with 243 points (-27) in third place.

For full final scores and more visit http://eur.pe/2015Beko

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015Beko), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#BekoClassic’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Beko visit www.Beko.com.

Three straight birdies from the first got his round off to a flying start and with one solitary bogey being the only blemish on his card, a further two birdies on the back nine put the pressure back onto Round 01 leader, Pontus Widegren.

PGA of Sweden Tour Professional and European Tour Member, Widegren, carried on from where he signed off in Round 01 with four birdies and just one bogey in his round of 69 to join Howell in the overnight lead.

With the top-four Professionals being separated by just two shots the chasing pack look set to ensure a close finish.

In third place is James Heath after an exciting second round that consisted of an eagle, two birdies and one solitary bogey that leaves him just one back from the lead and well in contention.

Rounding off the top four is the 2013 Beko Classic Champion and 2014 Beko Classic Runner Up, Robert Coles, who matched Widegren and Heath’s 69s to take him to a four-under par total of 140.

In the Team Pro-Am competition the Beko UK Team stretched out their lead to five points over the field after a second consecutive thirteen under par 85 points. The team were joined by Challenge Tour Member, Adam Gee, for their second round and got off to a flying start with Gee eagling their first hole, setting them up for another excellent score.

Beko South Africa and Beko Poland head up the chasing pack in Tie-Second place.

A special mention also goes to Peter Gustafsson who holed out his second shot on the par-five fourth hole for an incredible albatross – the first of his career!

For full Round 02 scores and more visit http://eur.pe/2015Beko

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015Beko), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#BekoClassic’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Beko visit www.Beko.com.

Sunny but blustery conditions met the competitors, which made it a tough day for scoring for both Professionals and amateurs alike.  But making an early push for the title was PGA of Sweden Tour Professional and European Tour Member, Pontus Widegren who shot an excellent birdie-filled 69, signing for a three-under score and giving him a slender lead heading into the second round.

With three bogeys being cancelled out by six birdies, it was an exciting round from the young Swede, whose run of five birdies in six holes in the middle of his opening round saw him charge up the leaderboard and into pole position.

Just one shot behind is five-time European Tour winner, David Howell, who recovered after bogeying the first hole to reach two-under and remain well in contention.

Joining David Howell on two-under is Challenge Tour Member, James Heath, who had five birdies and three bogeys on his way to signing for 70 and finishing the day just one off the lead.

With 11 players within three of the lead, the next couple of days are set to be an exciting contest with so many close in contention.

In the team competition it was the Beko UK team that took the early initiative with a superb first round 85-point total (-13).

The team made up of PGA of GB&I’s Chris Gane and his amateurs Nuri Conker, Johnathan Copp and Richard Moore will be looking to build on their two-point lead over the team in second place – Beko Poland – over the next two days.

Six teams lie within five points of the leaders it looks like the team event will be a fiercely competed tournament over the remaining rounds.

For full Round 01 scores and more visit http://eur.pe/2015Beko

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015Beko), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#BekoClassic’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Beko visit www.Beko.com.

As Daly will look to make it two wins in a row, the likes of European Tour and Ryder Cup star David Howell, James Heath, Benn Barham, Joakim Rask, Klas Eriksson and more will battle it out in the Confederation of Professional Golf-Sanctioned Pro-Am for the $80,000 prize fund from the 3rd to 5th December.

The field’s combined two major wins, nine European Tour wins, 19 Challenge Tour wins and five PGA Tour wins will make for a spectacular show down over 54 holes at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal in Turkey.

The 2014 edition of the successful Pro-Am saw American superstar Professional, Daly, secure his first professional win in 10 years after a -15 total, including a 63 in his second round, earned him the winner’s cheque that was duly donated to a local Turkish charity.

Both the 2014 second place and 2013 winner – Robert Coles (PGA of GB&I) – and 2014 third place  – Chris Gane (PGA of GB&I) – return to try to stake their claim on the Pro-Am.  But with Professional stalwarts such as Garry Houston, Raymond Russell, Peter Gustafsson, Simon Wakefield, and relative newcomers such as Garrick Porteous and Pontus Widegren on board, the field will be wide open when play gets underway on the 3rd of December.

For updates and scores across the week visit http://eur.pe/2015Beko

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2015Beko), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#BekoClassic’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Beko visit www.Beko.com.